The present invention relates to a tie down fitting and more particularly to a set of retractable tie down fittings that are mounted within stake holes located on the side rails of a pick-up truck. The tie down fittings are used for securing truck bed cargo located on the bed of a pick-up truck.
In most common way to secure cargo located on the truck bed is by using tie downs which provide the anchorage to maintain the originally loaded position of the cargo. The usual tie down is in the form of an eye cleat or hook that is attached to the side rails of a truck bed by screws or similar devices and in some designs through specially cut openings in the truck's side rails. Finding the proper location for cutting the openings, as well as the actual installation of the tie downs, can be a long and painstaking process and if bolts are used, rather than screws, access to both sides of the truck's side rail is required.
Due to the semi-permanent nature of the tie down hook's installation and because the hook openings which remain may detract from the original appearance of the truck it is impractical for a truck owner to remove the tie downs for use on another truck.
A search of the prior did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,762,449 St. Pierre, et al 9 August 1988 4,295,765 Burke 20 October 1981 3,102,708 Crain 3 September 1963 ______________________________________
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,449 St. Pierre, et al patent discloses a tie down fitting adapted to fit within a stake hole of a pickup truck. The fitting includes a cover plate that fits over the top of the stake hole and a clamping plate that fits over the bottom of the stake hole. The cover plate is secured to the clamping plate by means of threaded fasteners. The fitting includes aligned slots in the two plates that receive a hook member which pivotally moves between a recessed position flush with the wall section to an extended position where it can be used to engage a cargo securing line. To move the hook member from its recessed position to its extended position a finger on a hand is used to press the hook member to cause it to pivot to its extended position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,765 Burke patent discloses a tie-down structure that includes a body member having a top wall, an outwardly flaring side wall and a threaded stem. The treaded stem extends through an opening in a supporting surface, and a plug member and threaded means as disposed on the threaded stem on a side of the supporting surface opposite to that of the head. With this arrangement, the plug member is freely movable on the threaded stem of the body member.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,708 Crain patent discloses a retractable rope hook that mounts on the top rail of a truck. The rope hook includes a housing that is attached to a mounting plate and a hook member vertically and slidably disposed within a cavity in the housing. Within the housing is also located a compression spring that biases the hook member into its raised position. Interposed between the housing and hook member is a latch that controls the movement of the hook member. The latch is activated by a mechanical actuating lever located on the upper surface of the mounting plate.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited patents.
______________________________________ PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 5,326,203 Cockrell 5 July 1994 5,271,128 Hook 21 December 1993 WO91/04883 WIPO 18 April 1991 4,909,658 Townsend 20 March 1990 4,657,299 Mahan 14 April 1987 4,531,775 Beals 30 July 1985 3,966,250 Winskas 29 June 1976 3,951,250 Ott 2 March 1976 3,298,652 Burdick 17 March 1965 ______________________________________